Of same place



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

M. J. DOLPHIN.

REGISTER EUR LETTER MARKING MACHINES. No. 554,248. Patented Peb. 11, 1896.

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2H Lb nu e h S Lw e e h S 4 N T1 H D1 L nU D l M (No Model.)

REGISTER'FOR LETTER MARKING MAGHINBS.

No. 554,248. Patented Feb. 11', 1896.

iillll WITNESSES.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M, J. DOLPHIN.

REGISTER EOE LETTER MARKING MACHINES. B10554248. Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen 4.

M. J'. DOLPHIN.

REGISTER EoR LETTER MARKING MACHINES.

No.554,248. Patented Peb. 11, 1896.

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MMIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIEI! Win @IMMER UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATHElV J. DOLPHIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEWT YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTER- NATIONAL POSTAL SUPPLY OOMPANY OF NEV YORK, OF SAME PLACE.

REGISTER FOR LETTER-MARKING MACHINES.

SPECFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 554,248, dated February 11, 1896.

Application iiled August 6,1891. Renewed July 9, 1895. Serial No. 555,446. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may @zwerm- Be it known that I, MATTHEW J. DOLPHIN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Registers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved register particularly applicable for counting the number of impressions produced by machines for stamp-canceling and postmarking mailmatter, and has for its object the production of a simple and effective device which aecurately counts each letter as it passes the marker; and to this end it consists, essentially, in a movable marker, a rocking shaft, connections between the marker and rocking shaft for transmitting motion from one to the other, a series of registering-fingers connected together so as to register units and multiples thereof, gearing between the registering-tim gers and the rocking shaft, and in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a top plan view and a side elevation of my improved invention, showing the marker, a portion of its actuating-shaft, the register-gearing, and a portion of its supporting-bracket. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged inverted horizontal sectional View taken on line il et, Fig. S. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged inverted horizontal sectional views taken on line 5 6, Fig. 3, representing` at Fig. 5 the movable dog on the rocking shaft as forced to its outward position and just on the point of being retracted to its position shown at Fig. 6' for transmitting motion from said rocking shaft to the counter-fingers. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the parts as shown at Figs. 5 and G, the cam on the marker-shaft and the connections between the marker-shaft and the rocking shaft. Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken on line S 8, Fig. 7 5 and Figs. 9 and 10 are isometric perspecl.illustrate or describe, and I have here shown as said supporting-frame a portion of the table of a machine for stamp-canceling and postmarking mail-matter, and an upright bracket B secured thereto at b b.

O represents any suitable construction of marker for making consecutive impressions, as a marker for postmarking and stamp-canceling mail-matter, having a printing-die or impression portion c, and D the rotating shaft for the marker C, having at one extremity a bevel-gear d, to which motion is transmitted by any suitable mechanism for rotating the marker in the direction shown by arrow Figs. 2 and 3, for bringing the same into registration with the letter. (Not shown.)

The particular construction of marker here illustrated as operatively connected to my present invention is the marker described and claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 406,437, filed September 22, 1891, and since any other form or construction of marker may be used this particularr construction of marker forms no part of my present invention and it is unnecessary to further illustrate or describe the same.

The rocking shaft E for transmitting motion from the marker to the register mechanism, presently described, is, as shown at Figs. 2, 3, and 7, journaled at its opposite eX- tremities in the frame A and the horizontal top B of the bracket B.

Rigidly secured upon the lower extremity of this shaft is the lever e, having one eX- tremity e' split, Fig. 8, and provided with a clamp e2 for drawing the split sections of said extremity together and securely clamping the lever in position upon the rocking shaft E. The opposite end c3 of the levereeXtends outwardly, as best seen at Figs. 3 and S, toward the marker-shaft D.

D, Figs. 2, 3, 7, and S, is a cam mounted on the marker-shaft and formed with the tooth D2, provided with a substantially radial stopshoulder or face D3 and adapted to engage the free end of a lever F, which is pivoted at f to the frame A, and is provided with an arm IOO f' adapted to engage the extremity c o t' the rocking lever c upon the shaft E and force said leverin the direction shown by arrows 2 at Figs. 5, (3, '7, and S.

A spring G, Figs. 2, i3, 5, G, and 7, is secured at one end to a depending projection l? on the top l of the bracket li, and at the other end to an eye 7L on an arm or stop-pawl il, which is rigidly secured upon the roel;- ing shaft E and is normally engaged with a ratchet, presently described, tor preventing retrograde movement thereof. \Vhen the lever c is moved in the direction shown by arrow y, Figs. 5, (i, 7, and S, the spring G is d istended and the arm or stop-pawl ll is disengaged from the ratchet previously inentioned, and as the cam-tooth D2 passes from engagement with the lever F the spring G retracts the rocking shaft E and the stop-pawl 1I to their normal position, and also forces the lever F into its normal position in engagement with the stop-shoulder D oit the cam-tooth I)2 of the cam D tor preventing retrograde movement of said cam.

The inclosing 'tra-me I, Figs. '.l, 2, 3, and l, ilor the register-gearing consists of a base i supported upon the top B of the bracket B, and a cap t" provided with a transparent top plate 'i2 and formed separate from the base 'L' in order that it may be readily removed theretrom to permit access to the internal parts.

1 and I2 represent plates removably mounted upon the upper extremities of posts I3, projecting upwardly from the base-plate t' of the frame I and adapted to form a bearing for the spindles j of the registering-tingers .l1 There are preferably six oit these registeringfingers movable above the register-dial J and adapted to register units and multiples thereof, as hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands, hundred-thousands, and millions.

The respective spindles Yj of these registering-lingers are connected by suitable gearing j (best seen at Fig. 4) vfor effecting the correct number of rotations oit' each spindle to aetuate the respective registering-lingers to the proper relative position.

The central spindle j extends only a short distance below the bottom supporting-plate I2, an d is removably connected to the actuatingspindle K mounted in the top B of the bracket i3 in order that the register-gearing may be readily removed. This removable connection ot' the spindles j and K is effected by providing upon the spindle K a tongue 7u adapted to enter a recess or groovej2 in the spindle j, whereby said spindles are readily separat-ed, and when in their normal position are Iirmly locked together.

1n the under face ot the top of thcbracket B is a recess iii-,Fig. 3,within which is mounted a gear Il secured upon the spindle K :for rotating the same to actuate the registeringlingers.

A second gear L (best seen at Figs. 3, 5, and G) is also mounted .in said recess upon the upper extremity of the spindle 7, and at the lower extremity ot said spindle l are a pair oi ratchet-wheels m and mf sumiorted one above the other and so arranged. that the ratchet-teeth of one ratchet-wheel point in a direction opposite to the teeth ol' the other ratchet-wheel. rlhe stop-pawl Il engages the lower ratchet-wheel on', anda ratchet-pawl N, pivoted at n to the stop-pawl II, is forced into engagement with the Aratchet-teeth of the upper ratchet-wheel m by means of a spring n". One end ot the spring n bears against the pawl N and the other end secured to an arm n2 projecting from the rocking shal't l.

As the rocking sha't't IC is rocked in the direction shown by arrow 1/, Figs. il, 5, t, 7, and S, as previously described, the pawl K is drawn along the adjacent ratchet-teeth, being forced into engagement therewith by the spring n', and as the spring (i retraets said rocking shaft to its normal position the pawl N engages the upper ratchet-wheel and rotz'ties the spindle Z until the free end ot the pawl i l upon which the pawl N is supported en gages the adjacent tooth of the lower ratchet-wheel and forms a positive stop therefor.

The marker in machines tor stamp-ez'uureling and postmarking mail-matter usually operates very quickly, and the stop for the ratchet-wheels m and m must be absolutely sure and certain, as otherwise the count is defective. Consequently, I provide an additional retaining-pawl O having one end in cngagement with the teeth oi' t-he upper ratchetwheel on and the other pivoted at o tothe nnder side of the top B ot' the bracket l.

A spring O bears against the free end ot' said retaining-pawl, and is secured at o' to the under face of the top l.

It will readily be apparent that the ratchetwheels could be provided directly upon the spindle K, but experience has demonstrated that a more even movement ot' the registering-fingers is cl't'ected when an intcrmcdiar gea-ring, as L, is used.

lt is also evident that the number oi' registering-lingers can be varied at will, since the number shown and described is only preferred because ot the particular adaptalnlity to fastrunning machines for stam -canceling and postmarhing mail-matter.

The operation of my invention will be readily perceived from the Aforegoing description and it will be particularly noted that the parts are simple and durable, readily manu lfactu red and attached in operative position and operate positively and e''lectively without the slightest liability ot' the marker rotating unless the units-counting linger actuateifl. It is evident, however, that the detail construction and arrangement of the parts ol' my invention may be somewhat changed t' rom those described and shown. .llenee I do not limit myself to such precise detail construction and arrangement.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

IOO

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l. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rocking shaft connected to and actuated by the marker, means for retractin g the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, and aregistering-iin ger connected to and actuated by the rocking shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

f3. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rotary cam actuated by the marker and provided with a cam-tooth having a stopshoulder, a pivoted lever having its free extremity engaged with said cam and arranged to make contact with said stop-shoulder, a rocking shaft actuated by said pivoted lever, means for retractin g the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, and a registering-finger connected to and actuated by the rocking shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rotary cam actuated by the marker, a pivoted lever having its free extremity engaged with said cam and provided with a projecting arm, a rocking shaft provided with a rocking lever having one extremity engaged by said projecting arm of the pivoted lever for actuating the rocking shaft, means for retractin g the rocking shaft at each .movement thereof and a registering-finger connected to and actuated by the rocking shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rotary cani actuated by the marker, a pivoted lever having itsfree extremity engaged with said cam and provided with a projecting arm, a rocking shaft, a rocking lever having one extremity split and mounted on the rocking shaft and the other extremity engaged by said projecting arm of the pivoted lever for actuating the rockin g shaft, a clamp for said split extremity of the rocking lever, means for retracting the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, and a registering-nger connected to and actuated by the rocking shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a register, the combination of a support, a shaft j onrnaled in the support and provided with a cam, a rocking shaft j ournaled in the support and provided with a lever, a lever pivoted to said support between the former shaft and the rocking shaft and having one extremity engaged by said cam and provided with a projecting arm engaged with the lever on the rocking shaft, and a registeringlinger actuated by the rocking shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

0. In a register, the combination of a support, a shaft j ournaled in the support and provided with a cam having a stop-shoulder, as D3, a rocking shaft journaled in the support and provided with a lever, a lever pivoted to the support between the former shaft and the rocking shaft, and having its free extremity normally engaged with the shoulder D3 for preventing retrograde movement of the cam and provided with a projecting arm for engaging the lever on the rocking shaft and actuating the rocking shaft, and a registerin g-inger actuated by said rocking shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a register, the combination of a movable marker, for making consecutive impressions, a rocking shaft connected to and actuated by the marker, means for retracting the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, an actuating-spindle connected to and rotated by the rocking shaft and provided with an engaging tongue, a registering-finger, a spindle connected to rotate the registering-finger and provided with a groove for receiving the tongue of the actuating-spindle, whereby said spindle is rotated by the actuating-spindle and is detachable therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rocking shaft connected to and actuated by the marker, means for retracting the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, a ratchet-wheel connected to and actuated by the rock-shaft, a stop-pawl fixed upon the rocking shaft and normally engaged with said ratchet-wheel, whereby as the rocking shaft is rocked, the stop-pawl is forced out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel, and a registering finger connected to said ratchetwheel, substantially as and for the purpos set forth. f

9. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rocking shaft connected to and actuated by the marker, means for retractin g the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, a ratchet-wheel, a pivoted pawl supported on the rocking shaft and engaged with the ratchet-wheel,a spring having one end mounted on the rocking shaft and the other end engaged with said pawl, and a registering-finger connected to said ratchet -wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l0. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rocking shaft connected to and actuated by the marker, means for retracting the rocking shaft at each movement thereof, a pair of ratchet-wheels supported one above the other and arranged with the teeth of one ratchet-Wheel pointing in a direction opposite to the teeth of the other ratchet-wheel, a pair of ratchet-pawls carried by said rocking shaft and having their engaging ends arranged one above the other for engaging the ratchetwheels, and a registering-finger connected to said ratchet-wheels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

1l. In a register, the combination of a movable marker for making consecutive impressions, a rocking shaft connected to and actuated by the marker, means for retracting the IOO IIO

rocking shaft at eaeh movement thereof, a pair ol ratchet-wheels supported one above the other and arranget'l. with the teeth et one ratchet-wheel pointing in a d ireetion opposite to the teeth of the other ratehet-wheel, a stoppawl lfixed upon the roeking shaft and normally engaged with one of said ratehetwheels, a seeond pa-wl pivoted upon the stoppawl and engaged with the other of said wheels, and a registering-iinger Connected to said ratchet-wheels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l2. In a register, the Combination of a movable marker for makingI Consecutive impressions, a rot-ary eam aetuated by the marker and provided with a cam-tooth having a stopshoulder, a pivoted lever having its free extremity engaged with said Cam and arranged to make eontaet with said stop-shoulder, a rockin g shaft aetuated by said pivoted lever, means :l'or retraetin g the .roekin g sha [it at each movement thereot', a ratchet-wheel, a stoppawl ilxed upon the roeklng shaft and normally engaged with said ratchet-wheel,whereby, as the roeking shaft is roeked, the stoppawl is forced out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel, and a registering-linger eenneeted to said ratchet-wheel, substantially and t'or the purpose specified.

1S. ln a register, the Combination oi. a movable marker for making eonseeutive impressions, a rotary Cam aetuated by the marker, a pivoted lever having its free extremity engaged with said Cam and provided with a projeeting arm, a roeking shaft provided at one end with a rocking lever having one extremity engaged by said proj eetin g arm ol the pivoted lever for actuating the roeking shaft, means li'or retraeting the rockin shaft, at each movement thereof, a ratchet-wheel, a stop-pawl `fixed upon. the opposite end ol. the roeking shaft and normallyv engaged with said ratchet-wheel, whereby, as the rocking shaft is rocked, the stop-pawl is lforeed out ot' engagement with said ratehet-wheel, and a registering iinger Connected to said ratchetwheel, substantially as and lfor the purpose speeilied.

ll. lin a register, the Combination of a movable marker l'or making eonseeutive impressions, a rotary earn aetuated by the 'marker and provided with a cam-tooth having a stopshoulder, a pivoted lever having its t'ree extremity engaged with said eam and arranged to make eontaet with said stop-slunihfler, a t

rocking shaft actuated by said pivoted lever, means for retraeting the roeking shal't at each movement thereof, a pair of ratchet-wheels supported one above the other and arranged with the teeth oit one ratchet-wheel pointing in a direction opposite to the teeth ofthe other ratchet-wheel, a pair ol' ratehet-pawls carried by said rocking shaft and having their engziging ends arranged one above the other I'or engaging the ratchet-wheels, and a registeringlinger Connected to said ratehet-wheels, sulr stautially as and lor the purpose set l'orth.

l5. ln a register, the eombll'lalion ol' a movable marker for making eonseeutive impressions, a rotary eam actuated by the marker, a pivoted lever having its l'ree extremity en gaged with said eam and provided with a projecting arm, a rocking sha'lt provided at one end with a rocking leverhaving one exi remity engaged by said projeeting arm ol.' tlul pivoted lever for actuating the rocking shal't, means forretraetingtheroekingshalft, al earl] movement thereof, a pair oi' ratellet-wheels supported one above the other and arranged with the teeth ol one rz'ltehet-wheel pointing in a direetion opposite to the teeth el the other ratchet-wheel, a stop-pawl lxed upon the opposite end of the rocking shatt and normally engaged with one of the ratelietwheels, a seeond pawl pivoted upon the stop-pawl and engaged with the other ol' said ratehet-wheels, and a registering-linger eonnee ted io said ratehet-wheels, substantialbv as and l'or the purpose set forth.

ln testimony whereolf l have hereunto signed my name, in the presence ol.' two attesting witnesses, at the eityot' New York, in the County ot New `York, in the State ol' New York, this lst da)v ot August, istil.

MA'FIIEW" .l. l ()ljlllli\". lVitnesses:

.latins Aivonnsox, ALvN R. Lieenv. 

